


Dust From Falling Stars

by MedieavalBeabe



Category: Stardust (2007)
Genre: Fanfiction, Fantasy, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-01
Updated: 2013-04-01
Packaged: 2017-12-07 05:05:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/744576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MedieavalBeabe/pseuds/MedieavalBeabe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tristan and Yvaine are ruling the land, but the witches they once defeated will not be laid to rest just yet! Now it's up to their four children to defeat them...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dust From Falling Stars

Dunstan Thorn smiled at his grandsons. Suvan and Jericho were happily having a fight with wooden swords; although to them, it was more than just a game. Dunstan knew that they were training to one day be as good at swordfighting as their father. Suvan, as the eldest, would inherit the kingdom along with his twin once their father died; and even now at the age of fourteen, he took his future duties very seriously. Jericho, who was twelve and headstrong, merely liked the ideas of battle, fame and glory, and therefore made a considerably good combat partner for Suvan. 

Astro, Suvan's twin, was sitting on the grass beside his sister, reading. Unlike his brothers, he had no real interest in physical combat and swordplay; he prefered to fill his head up with as much intelligence as possible on a day to day basis and was forever in the library, looking up this and that. This particular book was about the finer points of carriage motors; to most, a boring subject, but to Astro a fascinating one. Beside him, Aurora lay on her stomach, twirling a snowdrop idly between her fingers. She was the youngest child and the only girl; as such her brothers, Astro in particular, felt a sense of responsibility for looking after her. At ten, Aurora was an imaginative young girl who loved to make up stories about all sorts of fantastical adventures, mainly concerning herself and her brothers, and she wrote each one down to entertain her parents and grandparents. 

Una, Dunstan's wife, and the only female of the Stormhold bloodline left until Aurora had been born, sat beside her husband, watching her granddaughter proudly. She encouraged Aurora the most to share her stories with the rest of the family and knew that, right now, she was spinning herself yet another little adventure tale in her head. Her assumption was right. Aurora watched the flower she was twirling as it caught the light and imagined a whole world beneath the waves of the ocean, lost in time, and fillwed with strange people with webbed feet and green hair and covered in shells, barnacles and scales...

"Hah!" Jericho stepped backwards to avoid a blow from his brother, stumbled and landed on his back. "Beat ya again!" crowed Suvan. 

"One of these days," muttered Jericho. "One of these days, I'll beat you."

Aurora, inturrupted in her imaginings, sat up to watch Suvan pull Jericho to his feet. Astro made a scoffing sound. Dunstan glanced at him. "What? You don't think Jericho can beat Suvan someday, Astro?"

"I think there are more important things in life than fighting, Grandfather," replied Astro, finally looking up from his book. "Like general knowledge."

"Brains vs brawn, you mean?" Dunstan chuckled. "Yes, I suppose you're right."

"Astro, you've always got you head in those silly books," said Suvan, straightening his collar. "What good's a book in a straight fight?"

"You could bash the baddie over the head and then run for it," Aurora suggested; her imagination running away with her as usual. 

Astro turned and smiled at his sister, grateful for her support. "Well, I don't plan on coming up against someone with a sword in the near future, Suvan. I'd like to be remembered for intelligance and wisedom, thank you."

It was Suvan's turn to scoff. "Your brother's quite right, Suvan," replied Una. "My own father might have been cunning but he was clever."

"See?" Astro challenged his twin. 

"Alright." Suvan walked up to his brother and tossed down his sword. "Well, let's see if your brains can get you out of this one, Astro!" So saying, he seized his brother in a friendly headlock. Astro let out an indignat sound, dropping his book and began to scrabble as the two engaged in a playfight. Jericho rolled his eyes. Aurora, sensing Astro needed her help, caught hold of Suvan's ankle. The pair of them topped and fell over. "Hey, no fair!" exclaimed Suvan, releasing Astro and turning to his sister. "Who's side are you on?"

"Astro's," replied Aurora, simply. Both her grandparents laughed and even Jericho smiled. 

"Nutter," replied Suvan, ruffling her hair. 

"What's all this?"

The three princes and one princess looked up to see their father. Tristan grinned at his children; whom he loved dearly. Fifteen years ago, he had rescued a fallen star named Yvaine from three evil witches who wanted to cut out and devour her heart to grant themselves eternal life. He and Yvaine had fallen in love, married, and gone on to rule Stormhold together. The four children had inherited their parents looks; although Aurora was the only one who ressembled both of them. Both Suvan and Astro looked more like their father whilst Jericho looked like their mother. "Aren't you two," here their father spoke directly to his oldest children, "a little old for playfighting?"

"Nonsense," Dunstan replied for them. "No point being grown up if you can't be childish occassionally." Here, he squeezed his wife's hand and she giggled. 

"Anyway, we were practising for the future," replied Suvan, raking a hand through his dark hair. "Can't be a ruler if you can't fight, right, Father?"

Tristan laughed, lightly. "I see your point, son, but it's not all swordfights and armed combat."

"Told you so," Astro countered, giving his brother a shove. 

"Speaking of swordfighting," Tristan added, putting his hands in his pockets, "your mother and I just recieved a letter from a certain captain of a certain ship..."

"Captain Shakespeare?" Aurora sprang to her feet at once. 

"Yes." Of all his children, Tristan had a certain soft spot for his daughter. "He's coming for a visit."

"When?" Jericho piped up. The four children absolutely loved Captain Shakespeare and his crew; and why not? They were so incredibly nice; although their reputation as pirates meant that they often acted gruff and tough around most other people. Captain Shakespeare was always especially concerned about his reputation although his crew had always reassured him that he was still their captain and they still respected him no matter what. The children also loved the stories that they brought back with them from their journeys pirating; Aurora in particular. 

"In three days, when they finally reach port," Tristan replied. "Providing they don't encounter anymore pirates along their way."

"Let's hope not," Dunstan agreed. 

"Will they be here for the party, Father?" asked Aurora. By "party" she actually meant the annual Spring Ball at the end of the week, but she felt that the term "ball" sounded far too fanciful, like something from one of her own stories. 

"I think so." Tristan smiled. "And now, you four, it's nearly time for dinner, so why don't you go and change into something not covered in dust and I'll meet you at the dinner table." 

"Aw!" Jericho looked disappointed. "Do we have to eat indoors? It's too nice a day to go back inside."

"He has a point, Tristan," Una added. "It's a perfectly mild evening."

"Please, Father," begged Aurora. 

Tristan looked at the pleading expressions on his four children's faces. If their eyes got any bigger, they'd turn into black holes. He smiled. "Alright, I suppose it's four against one. I know when I'm outnumbered. I'll have Chef bring our dinner out here."

"I'll do that," Dunstan replied, getting to his feet. That way, Tristan could spend a little more time whith his children. They were growing up faster than daisies. 

So it was that the family had their evening meal outside. Tristan noted that Yvaine looked as beautiful as ever; and she was glowing tonight. It was like she had a secret that she was keeping all to herself. Well, if she was, Tristan wasn't one to pry; their marriage was based on trust, after all. His wife was entitled to a secret or two, and whatever it was, she was likely to tell him sooner or later. Tristan was sure that Aurora would be as beautiful as her mother when she was older. 

"Lessons tomorrow," Una reminded her grandchildren midway through their meal. "How are they going?"

Jericho groaned. "I'm not getting the hang of long division and percentages!"

"You get there in the end," Astro pointed out.

"Face it, I'm not cut out for Maths," Jericho shrugged. 

Dunstan chuckled. "Funny, I remember someone else once said the same thing to me."

Tristan flushed. "Well, it was true. I was always hopeless at Maths. You get that from me, Jericho."

"Don't discourage him, Tristan," laughed Yvaine. "And Jericho, just because you can't get your head around the subject, that doesn't mean you're allowed to quit Maths altogether."

"Foiled again," Jericho joked. 

"Mr Stilgo likes my stories in English," piped up Aurora. "He just doesn't like me daydreaming about them in other subjects."

"Of course, Mr Brains-over-Brawn here excells in everything," Suvan claimed, nudging his twin. "Except sports."

"I don't like sports all that much," Astro shrugged. 

"How's the swimming coming along?" asked Dunstan. 

Astro looked at his plate. "Oh. Ok." 

His siblings exchanged a glance but said nothing. They all knew that Astro just couldn't bring himself to get in the pool, although none of them knew the exact reason why. Even Suvan, his own twin, couldn't tell; although he suspected that Astro had read up the kinds of germs and bacteria that existed in pools. "We learned how to do a racing dive yesterday," Aurora said quickly to distract the pressure from her brother. 

Astro waited until it was almost time for bed before he sought out his father. He knew Tristan would be alone in the library, selecting a book before bed, and that was where he found him. "Father?"

Tristan turned to see his son, clad in pyjamas, slippers and dressing gown, standing in the library doorway. "Astro, I thoughtyou'd be in bed by now."

Astro bit his lip. "I've got to tell you something but I don't know how..."

"What is it?" Tristan sat down and patted the sofa, indicating his son should do the same. "You know you can always tell me and your mother anything, don't you?"

"Yeah, but..."

"But?"

It all came out in a rush. "I still can't swim. I keep trying to pluck up the courage to get in the pool; and Suvana and Jericho and Aurora keep trying to talk me in but I just can't! I'm scared!"

Tristan sat still for a minute, allowing this information to sink in. "What does Mr Stilgo say about it?"

"He keeps trying to talk me through it; he says there's nothing to be scared of. But I think about it and I just can't."

"Whoa, whoa." Tristan put his hands on his son's shoulders. "It's alright to be afraid of something, Astro. Swimming's a useful skill, especially living here and if you can learn to swim properly, then great. But," he added, as Astro slumped his shoulders, "if you're really that terrified, you don't have to take swimming lessons anymore."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Astro hugged his father. "Will you tell Mother for me? And explain it to Mr Stilgo too?"

"Of course I will. Now, come on you, bed." You had to be strict but fair with children, even when they were at this age, Tristan knew. He patted his son's shoulder as Astro got to his feet. "I'll be in to say goodnight to you all in a minute."

Astro went to bed feeling a sense of relief and release. It was good being able to talk about such things and have your parents understand. And even better when you were able to get your own way at the end of it...


End file.
